Should farm animals have rights?

On Nov. 4, California voters will be asked to decide on Proposition 2, an animal rights ballot measure that would grant the farm animals in California the opportunity to spread their hooves and claws, rather than being confined to restrictive cages, as many chickens, sows and veal cattle now are.

But because veal and pork are not major industries in California, the battle over Proposition 2 is focused almost exclusively on the state’s henhouses, which opponents say will be hard hit by higher production costs if the measure passes.

“This is a well-intended initiative for animals with some very negative unintended consequences for people,” said Julie Buckner, a spokeswoman for Californians for Safe Food, the leading anti-Proposition 2 group. “It’s going to wipe out the California egg farmers, and it’s going to raise the food costs for consumers. And this is at a time when our economy is hurting.”

Supporters of the proposition, the first of its kind in the nation, reject those arguments, casting the ballot measure as an act of kindness for animals whose bodies and byproducts usually end up on dining room tables.

“If animals are going to be killed for food,” said Wayne Pacelle, the president and chief executive of the Humane Society of the United States, “the least we can do is treat them with decency and give them a semblance of life.”

What do you think?

Source: NY Times

Heidie gets a bath

The wonderful folks at Jarden RapidBath sent me a RapidBath® Pet Bathing System to try out.

My friend's dog, Heidie, volunteered to be our model and to get a bath. Heidie needed a bath anyway, so it's not like she had much of a choice.

Well, Heidie loved it!

The RapidBath® was easy to use. The unit came with a hose and connection to attach to a water faucet. We removed our shower head and attached the hose to the shower pipe.

The RapidBath® system comes complete with packets of shampoo in different scents. We used the "Ultra Cleaning Shampoo." There was plenty of product in the package to get Heidie totally clean.

After her bath, Heidie smelled great and her hair was smooth and velvety!

The RapidBath® Pet Bathing System is an "all-in-one" wet, wash and rinse dog bathing solution. The dog will love the relaxing massage action - and you'll love the results. No more stressful, backbreaking, messy baths for either one of you!

Photos by Julie Corsi

Today's awwww

Dog Ear Cleaning Tips

Cleaning your dog's ears is an essential part of grooming. You should check your beloved pet's ears periodically to know if they have wax, fungus, and ear mites on them.

Like humans, dogs also need to have their ears cleaned. But before anything else, there are some precautionary measures that you need to do to prevent possible ear infections. Always make sure to use the right cleaning products.Bear in mind that the outer and inner parts of your dog's ears are very delicate. Be extra careful and ensure that you are doing the right procedure.

It is advisable to use an "ear wash solution" specifically created for dog ear cleaning. Soak a cotton ball in the formula and squeeze out excess liquid. Then, place the wet cotton ball in your dog's ears, starting at the base, and gently rub it.

Gently message the outsides of the ears for about a minute where you put the cotton ball. This will help the solutions to get down in the ear and your k9 will enjoy the ear rub. Allow your k9 to shake off excess moisture.

Never use a q-tip in your dog's ears for it could damage his eardrum!

Try to check your dog's ears at least once a week whenever you give him a pet bath. Infected dog ears can result to other serious health problems. If you dog's ears are dirty and infected, he may suffer from an ear hematoma by breaking blood vessels when shaking his head due to irritation and discomfort.

If you see any lumps in his ear or if his ear canal looks abnormal, better consult a veterinarian. It could be a sign of more serious ear infections or tumors.

This article courtesy of Pet Articles Blog

Would you sniff your kids?

Sniff Dogs rents drug-sniffing canines to parents for $200 an hour. It was started this year by Debra Stone, who says her five trained dogs can detect heroin, cocaine, crystal meth and ecstasy.

The dogs' noses are so sensitive that they can smell a marijuana seed from up to 15 feet away and marijuana residue on clothing from drugs smoked two nights before.

One of the selling points of this service? Avoiding the kind of confrontation that comes with a drug test.

Drug-sniffing dogs aren't the only measures parents are using to keep tabs on their children. There are now Global Positioning System devices that can be sewn into children's clothing to monitor how fast they're driving, and software that allows a parent to read text messages.

But some psychologists say these surveillance techniques can backfire.

"There are major repercussions for this type of intervention," said Dr. Neil Bernstein, a Washington, D.C.-based clinical psychologist and author of the book "How to Keep Your Teenager Out of Trouble and What to Do if You Can't ."

Source: abc